Water Use FAQs

Our large watershed gives the impression of abundant supply, but the amount of water available for community use is limited.

The City of Campbell River has a license issued through the Ministry of Lands, Forests and Natural Resources stipulating the amount of water that can be withdrawn from John Hart Lake. In addition, weather patterns make it difficult to store water. Typically, a wet fall, winter and spring are followed by dry, hot summers. During the summer, when precipitation is lowest, municipal water consumption triples. Water conservation in Campbell River helps use our system efficiently, saving on operating costs and deferring construction of new facilities until they are absolutely necessary.

Increased water consumption occurs primarily during July and August particularly in the morning and early evening. Using water wisely can significantly decrease consumption – keeping demand within levels the City can deliver, which means that new infrastructure is not yet required, making it possible to defer costly system upgrades.

In addition, to receive federal and provincial funding, the City is required to have a water conservation program in place, and this means adopting water wise practices, rather than simply increasing the supply.

Expanding infrastructure would also entail significant environmental impact, which can be avoided by conserving water.

Peak demand periods are the times of day and year when consumption increases.

For Campbell River, peak periods tend to be in the summer months, especially July and August. The daily peak periods occur in the mornings (5 to 10 a.m.) and in the evenings, (7 to 11 p.m.) when more people tend to be home.

According to statistics for North America, the primary source of water demand during peak periods is from garden and lawn irrigation.

The figure below depicts the daily morning and evening peaks from May to September 2018, showing the significant increase in water consumption during July and August, which occasionally exceeds the system’s capacity.

During a heat wave in July 2009, consumption increased above 1,200 litres per second and firefighting water capacity was compromised. When a sprinkling watering ban was introduced between July 31 and August 7 in 2009, daily peaks disappeared and consumption dropped, establishing adequate water capacity for firefighting.

Figure 1. Daily average flow rates for morning and evening peaks from May 22, 2018 to September 21, 2018. Data was collected from the City of Campbell River’s SCADA database. Peak flow rates were measured by calculating the average from the start of the peak, end of the peak, as well as a median point.

A portion of Campbell River’s potable water is set aside for firefighting. During hot summer days it is possible for residential consumption to exceed safe supply levels.

Currently, our limiting factor is the rate at which we can disinfect water to distribute to the community. The current maximum that the City can safely produce is 1050 litres per second, which provides a supply for firefighting.

If municipal demand exceeds 750 litres per second (typically during peak demand times in the summer) and water is required to fight a fire.

Outdoor water use accounts for more than 50 per cent of water use in the home during summer months. In Campbell River, water consumption can be accurately calculated by dividing peak summer demand by the annual daily average. The resulting figure is an accurate representation of all outdoor water usage, and lawn irrigation is by far the biggest contributor to residential outdoor water use.

Without meters on all properties, it is difficult to accurately measure and assess leaks in the water distribution system. Based on the overall age and type of material used in Campbell River’s water distribution system and the Environment Canada 2011 Municipal Water Use report, leaks and maintenance losses are estimated to be 13.3 per cent.

Without meters on all properties, it is difficult to accurately determine leak locations and measure water loss. The City is developing a leak detection program, replacing aging water mains and improving water system pressure management to reduce leaks.